"Because we are just single focused, we just don't get the best deal for our commuters, I think," says Ms Taylor.

Ms Taylor chaired an Upper House committee inquiry into sustainable public transport in southern Tasmania.

The 12-month inquiry found the numbers of people using public transport in southern Tasmania are well below numbers in other Australian cities, and a lack of options might be part of the problem.

"There has been reluctance both from the minister and the department to say 'let's be proactive and let's look at other options'."

A Hobart ferry service?

Rumours that a ferry operator has been keen to look into options for public ferries in Hobart have been confirmed.

"There is an operator that operates in Perth and Adelaide and Brisbane and London who have put a proposal to the minister for sustainable transport to say that they would like to look at coming down here and operating a ferry service," says Ms Taylor.

Ms Taylor says although the Minister for Sustainable Transport, Nick McKim, and the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources haven't actively tried to stop the operator putting in a proposal, they haven't been active to look at the proposal either.

"It's not quite true to say that they are being blocked, what's more true I suppose is that we're not welcoming them with open arms and saying 'let's have a look at your proposal'."

The only public transport available in Hobart is the Metro bus service, with other bus businesses providing services in the more remote areas that Metro doesn't want to operate in. But that's it. There are no public trains, ferries or trams running in southern Tasmania.

The legislation regulating Metro Tasmania says Metro can only provide road public transport options, they're not allowed to look into ferries or trains, but Ms Taylor says it would be simple to change the legislation to open the options up.

"It's the government that needs to open its mind to other possibilities."

Ms Taylor says she has heard the Minister for Sustainable Transport has agreed to meet with the ferry operator about their proposal for a Hobart service sometime this week.

Ferry meeting update

Minister for Sustainable Transport, Nick McKim, confirmed to Ryk Goddard of 936 Breakfast, that his office did meet with Rick Metcalfe of Transit Systems Australia to discuss his submission to the Public Transport Inquiry and his proposal for a public ferry serivce in Hobart.

Mr McKim says they will assess his proposal and get back to him in a formal way when the department has had time to properly look at what he wants to do.

The route being looked at is between Hobart and Bellerive only at this point.

Mr McKim says he's happy to talk with other operators with any proposals they may have for ferry services in the Hobart area.